The Darkest Hour

Based on the admittedly flimsy evidence of films like “The Darkest Hour,” the best defense against invading aliens is to be as attractive as possible. Being one-dimensional doesn’t hurt, either, even if that particular character flaw can be safely blamed on whoever is responsible for the screenplay — in this case, Jon Spaihts. Given that he is also one of two writers credited on Ridley Scott’s much anticipated 2012 film (and possible “Alien” prequel) “Prometheus,” it is to be hoped that his lazy ideas were not equally apportioned between the two projects.

Because, really, how slovenly is it to use invisible aliens? If you’re going to tease us with nothing but pinwheels of light for three-quarters of the film, you’d better have one heck of a reveal up your sleeve. But if all you have is the equivalent of exploding garden gnomes, then your problems are greater than a disposable cast and a filming style as flat as the color palette. As one cement-gray scene follows another, audiences may find themselves rooting for the aliens, if only because their sparkly cloaking devices at least offer visual stimulation.

Working from a story that has been knocking around for years, Mr. Spaihts and his director, Chris Gorak, send two Internet entrepreneurs (Emile Hirsch and Max Minghella) to Moscow to finish a business deal. When they learn that a Swedish opportunist (Joel Kinnaman) has stolen their idea, our lads head to a nightclub to lick their wounds and distract themselves with perky female tourists (namely Olivia Thirlby and Rachael Taylor). There the four — and the scheming Swede — will remain for the next few days as fireballs from outer space transform most of humanity into untidy piles of cremains.

While we wait for the core cast to be reduced to the requisite breeding pair, we have time to ponder the pointlessness of the Moscow setting, chosen primarily to allow the filmmakers access to stock Russian characters — like the crazy inventor and the band of armed-to-the-teeth partisans — and exotic architecture.

“The audience will enjoy it and will feel it’s something new,” Timur Bekmambetov, one of the film’s producers, assures us in the publicity notes, but I wouldn’t be so confident. The audience is more likely to be wondering why Mr. Bekmambetov, the sometimes inspired mind behind the supernatural pictures “Night Watch” and its sequel, “Day Watch,” proved unable to inject life into this one.

Also a mystery is the apparent evaporation of Mr. Gorak’s freshman promise. When, in 2006, he wrote and directed the electrifying no-budget thriller “Right at Your Door,” you wondered what he might accomplish with more cash and greater resources. Now we know: despite a title grandiosely borrowed from Winston Churchill, “The Darkest Hour” is yet another depressing failure of imagination. Even with a technological gold mine at his disposal, all Mr. Gorak can conceive of is destruction.

You are already subscribed to this email.

Directed by Chris Gorak; written by Jon Spaihts, based on a story by Leslie Bohem, M. T. Ahern and Mr. Spaihts; director of photography, Scott Kevan; edited by Priscilla Nedd Friendly and Fernando Villena; music by Tyler Bates; production design by Valeri Viktorov; costumes by Varya Avdyushko; produced by Tom Jacobson and Timur Bekmambetov; released by Summit Entertainment. Running time: 1 hour 29 minutes.